Same Question, Different Answers
by Whisperwill
Summary: Two Padawans approach two Masters with the same odd quandary.
1. ObiWan's Incorrect Presumption

**Disclaimer: Although I love _Star Wars_, that doesn't mean I don't own _Star Wars_. Although I'm a fan of money, that doesn't mean I'm making money off this story.**

**A/N: Original completion date: 1/1/10. Geez, I even write on New Year's Day? The inspiration for this bitty fic comes from the lyrics in that cool Weird Al Yankovic song, "The Saga Begins." "Did you know this junkyard slave isn't even old enough to shave..." Kind of weird, I know. But fun to write. And hopefully, fun to read. But you can tell me that yourself when you . . . review! See how I dropped that one in there?**

**Rated K+ for mention of blood. Don't worry; it's benign.**

**Obi-Wan's Incorrect Presumption**

"Master."

Qui-Gon Jinn looked up from the sleep-couch where he had been resting and received an unpleasant surprise: his Padawan's lip was bleeding. How he had managed to cut himself Qui-Gon didn't know, but since he could see that Obi-Wan was waiting to speak, he swung his legs down onto the floor and stood.

"Yes, Obi-Wan?" he replied, keeping his curiosity out of his voice.

Obi-Wan kept eye contact while he spoke, even though his face had gone red. "I was trying to use a vibro-razor." His voice was quiet, but steady. "I didn't realize how sharp the blades are. I cut myself."

Any other Padawan might have gone to the healers for bacta, a treatment which would completely heal a minor cut like this within a few minutes. The healers wouldn't ask unnecessary questions, so the Master would never know. But not Obi-Wan. Instead, he hid nothing, and chose to come straight to his Master and confess his mistake. It was just one of the many qualities about him that made Qui-Gon proud to be his Master.

Qui-Gon nodded once, walked over to the shelf high up on the wall, and took down a medpac. He strode back and squatted down before his apprentice. Pulling out a cloth, he wiped the blood away, then dabbed disinfecting liquid on the incision. Lastly, he applied a small bacta patch to the wound.

The work was passable, Qui-Gon thought, as he sat back on his heels to scrutinize his Padawan. Not as smooth as the Jedi healers, of course, but it would do. Obi-Wan had averted his gaze and seemed to be waiting for something. Qui-Gon thought he could guess what.

"Do you expect me to scold you, Padawan?" he guessed. Obi-Wan bowed his head.

"Yes, Master," he mumbled.

"Then you will have to wait a very long time," Qui-Gon told him cheerfully while pushing himself to his feet. "Because I don't plan on it."

Taken aback, Obi-Wan looked up at him. "But Master, I was wrong," he pointed out. It was always right and wrong with Obi-Wan. While Qui-Gon himself tended to see all aspects of an issue, the many layers that made it hard to discover a problem's solution, Obi-Wan saw things clearly. Starkly. Everything was separate and easy to distinguish—right and wrong, good and evil, correct and incorrect. Sometimes Qui-Gon wished he could see with the same clarity. But at other times, he was obliged to show his apprentice that circumstances were not always what they seemed, and things were not always as simple as the first glance. This was one of those times.

"What were you wrong about, Obi-Wan?" he prodded his Padawan. Obi-Wan looked up at him, perplexed by the question yet determined to answer it right.

"I didn't know how to use the vibro-razor. I should have come to you first. If I had, I wouldn't have cut myself," he listed the reasons.

"The vibro-razor must be used carefully, or it can prove somewhat hazardous," Qui-Gon conceded. "But you didn't know that at the time." He watched Obi-Wan blink and struggle to digest this new way of thinking. "I don't expect you to predict every aspect of danger and move to prevent it, Obi-Wan," he continued gently. "It is not against the Jedi code to make mistakes." Obi-Wan nodded slowly in understanding. Good—now there was only one thing left to do. "Padawan," Qui-Gon said, leading Obi-Wan over to the nearby reflector, "shall I show you how to use a vibro-razor?"

***The End***


	2. Anakin's Unvoiced Request

**A/N: Same song, second verse! Which chapter do y'all prefer?**

**Anakin's Unvoiced Request**

"Master?"

Obi-Wan Kenobi looked up in surprise at the subdued tone of his Padawan's voice. "Yes, Anakin?" he responded. Anakin was staring at his feet and wouldn't meet Obi-Wan's eyes. The apprentice paused for a long moment, apparently unsure what to say. Obi-Wan was mystified by this behavior. Anakin was usually so straightforward.

"Master, you know that Padawans aren't allowed to . . ." Anakin swallowed and failed to finish his sentence. Obi-Wan sighed inwardly; what had his Padawan done now?

"Aren't allowed to _what_, Anakin?" he pressed sternly. His apprentice shuffled his feet while his face reddened steadily. Finally Anakin said in a quiet voice,

"Aren't allowed to wear beards."

The statement was so unexpected that Obi-Wan very nearly snorted with laughter, but he managed to shrink his amusement to a small chuckle.

"No, Jedi Padawans are not allowed to wear beards," he agreed, still grinning. When Anakin didn't move, or even look up, Obi-Wan sobered and peered at him questioningly. "Why do you ask?"

After hesitating again, Anakin began haltingly, "I don't—I don't know how . . . to . . ." Obi-Wan was honestly clueless as to what his apprentice was trying to tell him, but when Anakin started running his fingers along the curve of his chin, everything clicked into place. Obi-Wan was irritated that he hadn't understood sooner, and saved his Padawan the embarrassment of groping uncertainly with his words. It all made sense; Anakin _was_ fourteen now.

"Oh—yes, Anakin. Of course I can show you how to use a vibro-razor." Anakin, with his gaze still on the floor, nodded as if he were trying to look pleased, but he couldn't seem to project anything beyond gloominess. Taking pity on his apprentice, Obi-Wan led him all the way back to their living quarters rather than choose one of the more public rooms close by.

In their room, Obi-Wan and Anakin stood side by side in front of the reflector. Obi-Wan activated the vibro-razor and showed his Padawan how to grip the handle.

"You have to angle it carefully," Obi-Wan explained over the vibro-razor's hum. He pressed it against his own cheek and ran the small blade up and down to demonstrate. "If you don't, you may end up slicing your skin by mistake. Follow the curves of your face like this." He mimed a normal shaving procedure while taking care to hold the vibro-razor slightly above his skin. After all, Jedi Knights _were_ allowed to wear beards, and this Knight had no intention of removing his.

Anakin took the vibro-razor from him without comment and pushed it impatiently against his chin. _Always too hasty_, Obi-Wan thought as he grabbed his apprentice's hand to move it into the correct position. Anakin ran the vibro-razor over his jaw and around his mouth while Obi-Wan watched, offering tips and correcting his Padawan when necessary. Soon Anakin's peach fuzz was gone. Yet the apprentice was still red-faced, humiliated, moody.

"Good grief, Anakin, it's nothing to be ashamed of," Obi-Wan pointed out in an almost exasperated fashion. "The vibro-razor is a delicate tool, difficult to use." He smiled lightly. "Besides, who do you think taught _me_ how to use it?" Anakin's head shot up in surprise.

"Master Qui-Gon?" he guessed incredulously.

"He did indeed," affirmed Obi-Wan. "After all," he commented on a jocular note, "what else are Masters for?"

***The End***


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